Folding table



Jul 27 1926. 1,593,975

C.F.KARSTEN$ FOLDING TABLE I Filed May 21, 1925 INVENTOR dFKa rake-n6,

A'IITORNEYS r adapted to be folde the olded tables stacked.

drawing is rectangular.

PatentedJuly' 27,}1926.

UNITED: STATES was 1'. ms'ra'nsfor roam no aa wrsconsm.

rename rum.

application filed Kay 21, 1925. Serial No. 31,848.

My invention is a folding table, and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed. a v

An object of the invention is the provi-v sion of a table of simple construction which will be strong and i 'd' when set up and is to take up but very little space and so that a plurality of the folded tables can be stacked so as to require 'but relatively little space for storage or transportation.

A further object of the invention is the rovision of a table havin a top and legs 'n ed to the top and fol able against the un erside of the table top, to ether with novel and efficient means for hol ing the legs releasably either in folded position or in top supportin position, as desired.

Other (finects and advantages of the invention. will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1- is a perspective view showing the table in set up position and looking at the table from a point belowthe level of the table top, Figure 2 is a plan view .of the table with the le folded against the underside of the top, t e folded table being shown upside down, and Fi ure 3 is an edge view of a plurality of The improved table comprises a top' 1 which may have any desirable configuration and may be made of any suitable material, preferably of wood. The top shown in the This top is reinforced by a plurality of stiffening bars or cleats 2 which extend transversely of the top in spaced relation, and are secured to the underside of the table top by screws 3 or like fastening devices. These bars 2 may also serve as connecting members in the event that the top 1 should be made of a plurality of longitudinally separable sec tions, as for example of a plurality of boards of equal length placed s1de by side in the l same plane. The cross bars 2 also have anpointed out.

other function which will be hereinafter Two cross attaching strips 4 of less thickness than the bars 2 are secured to the underside of the top 1 by screws 5 or like fastening'devices. The respective attaching 4; are shown as being parallel to eac other strips and as being secured to the table top adja cent to although spaced from the opposite ends of the table top, being inwardly of the end cross bars 2;

Two supporting members for supporting the table top in spaced parallel relation to a floor or like supporting surface are cornprised in the embodiment-of the invention which is exhibited in the drawings. Each of these supporting members comprises a pair of legs 6 having the upper end faces thereof, indicated at 7,:formed -to complement the under faces of the attaching strips 4 so that each pair of legs 6 will be disposed'in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the table top 1 when the upper'faces 7 of such legs are in flatwise contact with-the undersurface of one of the attaching stri 54. The legs 6 of each pair are connected y a cross piece 8 which is rigidly secured at its opposite ends to the middle portions ;of the legs and holds the legs in spaced relation. The legs 6 vof-each pair are attached at their upper ends by hinges 9 to the inner side of one of the attaching strips 4 so that the pair of legs can be swung from position close to the underside of the top 1 and inwardly of the attachin strip to position to abut the lower face of t e attaching strip flatwise at the upper end of the legs and to lieein a I plane perpendicular to the plane of the table top, or vice versa.

Each pair of legs 6 of course is attached to a different attaching strip 4. When the pairs of legs are folded against the under,

side of the top 1 asshown in Fig. 2, these legs I and the cross connectingstrips 8 are entirea ly disposed between the-planes of the'outerf faces of the cross bars 2 and the table-top l,

and thus 'will be protected against injury, when the folding table is placed upon a flat supporting surface or a plurality of the folded tables are stacked one upon another as shown in Figure 3.

The section 12 is attached at tal axis. The adjacent or inner ends of the sections 11 and 12 are connected by a hinge 15 I and are cooperatively beveled so that the sections 11 and 12 will not extend in a straight line when the folding base is'extended as shown in Figure 1 and the adjacent ends of the sections of the base abut each other flatwise but will diverge at their upper sides from their meeting ends at an angle slightly less than 180. The engagement of the meeting ends of the sectlons 11 and 12 of each brace therefore tends to hold the brace extended. However, the invention provides other means for holding the brace extendedmore positively, although releasably. Such holding means comprises a substantially U-shaped spring locking member 16 having the arms thereof pivotally attached to the section 11 of the as: sociated holding brace adjacent to the inner end of the section so that the spring locking member 16 is swingable about an axis parallel to the axes of the hinges 13, 14 and 15 and is swingable to and from position to cause engagement of the web of the substantially U-shaped latching member with a groove or notch 17 in a stop or keeper block 18 which is secured to the underside of the associated attaching strip 4. The arrangement is such that the spring locking member 16 is placed slightly under compression when the associated folding brace is extended and the web of the spring locking member is in engagement with the notch or groove 17 of the associated block 18.

The brace 11-12, the pivoted spring latch 16 and the associated top supporting member 6-8-6 may all be held releasably against movement from positionclose to the underside of the top 1, as shown in Figure 2, by a retaining button 19 which is supported on a vertical pivot element20 at the underside of a carrying block'21'which is secured to the underside ofthe top 1, the button 19 being swingable about the axis of the pivot element 20 to and from position to prevent downward swinging movement of the folded pivoted latch member 16, and brace 1112. The associated top supporting member of course will be supported against swinging. downward from folded position when the brace 1112 that is as sociated with that topsupporting member is held folded.

tion. vWhen the table is in set up position, I

the top supporting member will be firmly braced and the set up table will have relatively great strength and rigidity.

Obviously, my invention is .susceptible of embodiment in forms other than that illustrated in the accompanying drawings and 1 therefore consider as my own all such modifications and adaptations of the form of the device herein described as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim A folding table comprising a top, a pair of to supporting members hingedly attache to the top and each being swingable from position substantially. at right angles to the top to position close to the underside of the top and substantially parallel with the. top, a folding brace adapted when extended to firmly retain the top supporting member with which it is associated .in substantially right angular relation to the top, said brace comprising a pair of sections re spectively hinged at their'opposite endsto the top and to one of said top supporting members and hinged together at their ad jacent ends, the meeting ends of said sections of the brace being cooperative] beveled so that the sections of the brace wi l diverge at an angle slightly less than 180 when said brace is extended, said angle of slightly less than 180 being subtended b the sides of the section of the brace whic 1 are proximate to said top when the brass is extended, a spring retaining member pivotally attached at one end to one of said sections of the brace, and a block fixed to the top and having a groove adapted to be engaged by the free end of said spring retaining member, whereby said spring retaining member will be releasably held under compression when in position to pre vent folding of said brace.

' CHARLES F. KARSTENS. 

